Wednesday was a difficult day for The American Independent News Network, which is the larger entity that operates The Iowa Independent. Our chief executive and founder announced two of our sister sites would close and their content would be moved to The American Independent.
A recently introduced bill could have far-reaching impact on the U.S. sugar industry, including American Crystal Sugar, a farmer-owned cooperative that locked out 1,300 Midwest workers on Aug. 1.
The chairman for Herman Cain’s Iowa effort says the campaign “relied more on the word of farmers than Washington regulators” in deciding to run an ad containing claims the Environmental Protection Agency says are false.
The Iowa Senate will remain under the control of a slim 26-25 Democratic majority when it reconvenes in January 2012.
The Iowa Farm Bureau, one of the most powerful interest groups in the state, has issued its 2008 endorsements. All five of Iowa’s congressmen made their list, but U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, is conspicuously absent:
In U.S. House races, incumbents Bruce Braley (District 1), Dave Loebsack (District 2), Leonard Boswell (District 3), Tom Latham (District 4) and Steve King (District 5) were recognized as Friends of Agriculture. The Farm Bureau PAC also gave the designation to candidates in 16 Iowa Senate and 62 Iowa House districts.
The grassroots effort to designate Friends of Agriculture is guided by members and begins in July when county committees start evaluating candidates. More than 90 County Farm Bureau Campaign 2008 Committees submitted candidate evaluations this year. The nine-member PAC committee carefully reviews evaluations and questionnaires, while also considering candidates positions on issues of importance to members, leadership on Farm Bureau priorities and past voting records.
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